RENAISSANCE SHUFFLEBOARD LEAGUE RULES STARTING THE GAMES 1. Regular season play consists of a 3-game match each week with a 20-minute time limit for each game. (refer to # 4. & # 5. under Scoring). There are two players to a team. 2. In order to start the first game in a match, both players must be present from each team. A flip of a coin shall give the winner choice of shooting first or second. The yellow disc is shot first from the right side of the head of the court (by the scoreboards). Play then alternates between yellow and black until all discs are played. Yellow discs should always be played from the right side of the head of the court (by the scoreboards) and the left side of the foot of the court. Both are marked with a yellow circle. At the end of each half round of play, the team with the higher score in that half round shall shoot first. In the event of a tie after a half round, the team that shot first in that half round shall shoot first again. In each succeeding game the winner of the previous game shall shoot first. 3. Players will switch ends after each game in a match. All games start at the head of the court (by the scoreboards). 4. Each team will place their discs within the -10 area with each color occupying one side of the center dividing line. Please be sure that the discs being used for league play do not have holes in them. Discs with holes in them are for use by the community and also may be used in make-up games. 5. With your discs on your side of the center line while standing inside the court boundary, a sliding motion with the cue must begin within the -10 OFF area and finish within the scoring triangle without stepping over the -10 OFF baseline or off the side of the court. Repeated infractions after the first warning will result in a -10 off penalty for each occurrence. 6. If a disc does not fully pass the furthest deadline or if any part of the disc is off the side of the court, it must be removed immediately from the playing field before resuming play. If part of a disc is off the side of the court but is touching any part of the scoring triangle, it is in play and remains on the court. A disc that is laying more than a disc's width from the back edge of the 10 off area should also be removed. 7. If a disc is displaced by an opponent's disc into anyone of the situations in Rule #6 (above), it must also be removed. 8. Starting times must be honored. Any team more than 5 minutes late for the 1st game in a match will forfeit that game. Any team more than 20 minutes late for the start of a match will forfeit the entire match. Mark Scoreboard In Upper Right Corner With Starting Time Of Each Game. 1
WAXING DISCS 1. At the manager's discretion discs may be waxed at the start of each match. The courts should also be swept if necessary. SCORING 1. A disc scores when it lies within the lines of a scoring box without touching any lines when viewed from directly above the center of the disc in question. Discs within a numbered box will score that number of points; e.g., +10; +8; +7; or -10. 2. In the event of a scoring dispute, a third neutral party will be called upon for a binding decision. The judge must position his/her eye directly above the center of the disc in question to determine whether it is within bounds. 3. Scoring is done after each half round when 4 yellow and 4 black discs have been played. The first team to score 40 or more points wins the game. If both teams have over 40 points at the end of the same half round, the team with the higher score wins. In the event of a tie, after 20 minutes, each team will be awarded a half point for the game. 4. Matches (3 games) must be completed within the one-hour time slot allotted for each Division. In the event of the third game in a match not being completed within the allotted time slot for the Division, the game will end on the hour (e.g., if a Division s time slot is 9:00 10:00, the third game must end at 10:00 even if it s less than 20 minutes playing time). The team with the higher score will receive one point for the game. In the event of a tie, each team will receive one-half point. 5. The Digital timers are to be used to time each game. The timer will beep at the end of 20 minutes. If a half round has started, the half round in progress shall be completed and scored. The timing of each game will be the responsibility of the teams in the game. The starting time for each game should also be marked on the scoreboard as a backup for the timers. Note: A game can end on a half round. 6. Timers need not be used in the third game if there are less than 20 minutes to complete the third game. The clock over the Shuffleboard Bulletin Board becomes the official timer for that game. 7. The center dividing line in the -10 scoring box is used to separate the yellow and black discs. A disc that lands anywhere in the -10 scoring box either to the right or left of the center dividing line or touching the center dividing line is in play. The score for that disc is -10 unless it s touching one of the lines bordering the box. In that case it s not scored. 8. Scoring is the responsibility of the teams playing in the match, and must be reported to the Division Manager at the end of the match. 2
9. When scoring is being tabulated, players must remain at their designated end and may not go to the opposite end to observe, question, nor assist in the scoring. 10. Discs should not be removed from the court until both sides have agreed on the points scored. If any error is observed in scoring, it must be corrected before the next half-round is completed. 11. At the end of the season the team with the most points in each Division is the Division Winner. In the event of a tie at the end of the season, the Division Winner will be decided by a one game play-off. If there is a tie after 20 minutes of play, it becomes a sudden death play off, i.e., the team that wins the next half-round is the Division Winner. PRACTICE ROUNDS 1. Each team may request a practice half round before beginning a match (not each game). Out of courtesy for teams playing, no practice rounds or matches should begin before the previous Division completes all their matches. CANCELLATION OF MATCHES 1. It shall be the Division Manager's decision to cancel a match due to rain or other conditions. 2. If scheduled play is cancelled by the manager for any reason, each team is awarded 1.5 points. 3. In the event of a cancellation after a match has started, only completed games will count. Teams will be awarded a half point for each game not completed. 4. The web site WEATHER.COM will be used to determine whether matches are to be cancelled due to excessive heat. If at 8:00 AM the projected heat index for the start of a Division s matches is above 95, that Division s matches will be cancelled. The Commissioner will contact the Division Manager who in turn will inform his teams about the cancellation. 3
PROTESTS 1. In the event of a team protesting a game or match, the Division Manager must be informed of the protest before the protesting team leaves the court. If the Division Manager is involved in the protest and/or cannot resolve the protest, it will be resolved by the Commissioner whose ruling is final. If the Commissioner is involved in the protest, it will be resolved by a committee of three Division Managers chosen at random and their ruling will be final. The Commissioner must be informed of all protests whether resolved or not resolved. FORFEITS 1. Any team that is late, according to "Starting The Games - Rule No. 8", forfeits accordingly. 2. Any team not present for a scheduled match without previously notifying opponents and/or the Division Manager will forfeit all 3 games to the opposing team. 3. If a team forfeits in advance of a match, but on the day of the regularly scheduled match the matches are cancelled (e.g. rainout), the forfeit is voided. All teams shall receive 1.5 points according to Cancellation of Matches Rule No. 2. POSITION WEEK 1. The last (16 th ) week of the regular season is position week. In each Division, the team with the highest number of points will play the team with the second highest number of points, etc. 2. The schedule for position week will be posted on the bulletin board in the clubhouse and by the shuffleboard courts. Also, copies will be e-mailed to players. Division Managers should notify their Division Players who don t have e-mail about the schedule. 3. If two or more teams have the same number of points, the schedule will be determined by the Commissioner in consultation with the Division Manager. USING SUBSTITUTES AND RESCHEDULING 1. There will be no rescheduling of matches other than for extenuating circumstances. The ruling on these circumstances will be under the binding decision of the Division Manager. Some examples of extenuating circumstances would be a doctor's appointment, a sudden illness, or a Renaissance function such as a cruise or trip. The team requesting to reschedule should contact their Division Manager. The Division Manager will then indicate if a reschedule is authorized. 4
2. If a player/team cannot make a scheduled match due to extenuating circumstances (refer to #1 above), they must choose one of the following options: i. Obtain substitutes and, out of courtesy, inform their opponents so the match may be played on the scheduled day and time (refer to # 3 below). ii. iii. Contact their opponents and if both teams agree, they may choose not to play the match and each team receives 1.5 points for the match. Contact their opponents and if both teams agree, they may choose to reschedule that match. Notes: (1) If only one team wants to reschedule the match, it will be rescheduled in consultation with the Division Manager and/or Commissioner. (2) Any resident of Renaissance may be a substitute with the exception of a player in the same Division. Ideally the substitute should be someone the team/player knows. (3) All rescheduled matches should be completed in a timely fashion and no later than 1:00 PM on the Friday before position week. (4) No substitutes are allowed during the final two weeks of the regular season. In any case the Division Manager must be notified of any rescheduling or the use of substitutes. 3. The rule for counting the use of substitutes is per match, i.e., if either one or both team members have a substitute for a match, it counts as one substitution. If a team has more than three substitutions during the season, the team will not be eligible for the playoffs nor be a Division winner. Any problems with substitutes/rescheduling will be resolved by the Division Manager. 4. Matches may be rescheduled to be played either before or after the day of the regularly scheduled match. However, if on the day of the regularly scheduled Division matches the games are cancelled for any reason, the rescheduled match is voided and all six teams in the Division would then receive 1.5 points. 5. Court times available for make-ups will be posted on the shuffleboard bulletin board. 5
REPLACING A PLAYER/TEAM 1. If a player/team can no longer play for the remainder of the season, the manager in conjunction with the commissioner will try to get a replacement player/team. If a replacement is found, the previous scores are carried over to the new player/team. 2. If a player can t finish the season and a permanent replacement cannot be found, substitutes could be used to finish the season. However, if there are more than three substitutions, the team could not be the Division Winner, nor be in the play-offs (refer to # 4 above). Also, under the rules for substitutions, no substitutes can be used during the last two weeks of the season. The team would forfeit those games as well as the games for which a substitute can t be found. 3. If both players on a team can t finish the season and a replacement team can t be found, teams scheduled to play them get a bye. The final scores for the teams remaining in the Division will be pro-rated at the end of the season by the Commissioner to determine the Division Winner and eligibility for the play-offs. VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES 1. Stepping over the -10 baseline or off the side of the court while shooting will result in a score of -10 for that violation. 2. Shooting the disc from the opponent's side of the centerline will result in a score of -10 for that violation. 3. Coaching is prohibited! You may only inform your partner on whether a disc is completely in a scoring box or touching a line. Repeat infractions of excessive coaching, AFTER THE FIRST WARNING, will result in a -10 point penalty for that team. 4. Continual non-compliance of the rules can result in a forfeit of the game at the Division Manager's discretion. 6